Electronic devices often have memory portions that can contain data that is confidential or otherwise private. Furthermore, such data often needs to be eliminated or rendered inaccessible for safety or other reasons. Several methods exist for rendering memory portions of electronic devices inoperable. Some methods simply include writing new data over the original data. However, the original data is often recoverable (e.g., accessible) using proper equipment. Other methods include strictly physical means such as the hard-drive shredding device of U.S. Pat. No. 8,851,404 to Clark et al. or the rotatable grind wheel of U.S. Pat. No. 8,251,303 to Wozny. Other methods, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2014/0263216 A1, include using a mill, laser, or chemical solvent to render the memory portions of electronic devices inoperable. Such methods often require an electrical power source sufficient to power the apparatus physically destroying the memory portion of an electronic device and are nonfunctional in a power outage situation. Furthermore, such methods often leave data on portions of the memory that can still be accessed using proper equipment. Moreover, the machines required are often large and non-mobile.
Other methods include simply crushing the memory device such as the memory destroying device described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,975,950 to Ebadian et al. or degaussing (changing magnetic signatures of the platen of a memory device to random patterns). However, again, such methods can leave portions of the electronic device intact such as, for example, individual plates of a hard drive. Furthermore, simply crushing or degaussing an electronic device may not provide a visual confirmation that the memory portion of the device has been rendered at least substantially inoperable. Yet other methods include melting the entire memory device, and although there is a visual confirmation that all the data has been destroyed and is unrecoverable, the machines required to melt entire memory devices are often large, non-portable, and require a significant power source. Furthermore, the complete process of melting an entire memory device may not be able to be performed quickly without an electrical power source to provide heat.